King Hereafter

Dorothy Dunnett has written an outstanding work of historical fiction that captures the spirit and style of the old Icelandic sagas, together with the humour. The one bone of contention is her theory that Thorfinn, Jarl of Orkney and Macbeth King of Scots were one and the same man. What can be said for sure is that Thorfinn was indeed the grandson of Malcolm King of Scots, and as such would have had a claim on the throne irrespective of any connection with Macbeth. Indeed the Orkneyinga Saga claims that he had not only the Orkneys under his rule, but nine Scottish Earldoms and a large part of Ireland. If the Macbeth identity issue can be set aside by the reader for separate argument, the book can still be enjoyed as the riveting story it is. Attention is paid to the smallest everyday details of the Norse Scottish world to bring the pages alive. The battle scenes are forceful and convincing. You can hear the swing of the axes, the hiss of arrow storm, see the spout of blood. Dorothy Dunnett writes with the spirit of a Viking veteran. Her extensive research of places in the text gave her a familiarity with the rough waters round Orkney, and it shows in her descriptions of the sea battles. Yet this is not all a man's world. Women like the main heroine Ingibjorg are no shrinking violets, but on the contrary are prime movers in the action and intrigue, as complicated and involved as a knotwork pattern. This is a long book, but I for one enjoyed every page. One of the top ten books I have read and one of the best historical novels of this or any time. Strongly recommended.

My first Dunnett, and a crackerjack. OK, a big, fat crackerjack historical novel about 11th century Britain, specifically on the life of the historic King Macbeth, who ruled Orkney and northern Scotland 1040-1058. For good measure, we get Lady Godiva, too. Plus Duncan, Malcolm, and Duke William waiting for his Big Moment, over there in Normandy. Google for a fine, short review by reliable Danny Yee: "King Hereafter is a dark and sombre work...and at near nine hundred pages not one to be tackled lightly. It is, however, a rewarding feast for those who like solid historical fiction." Nice background for the book at dorothydunnettdot)co(dot)uk/dunnettqa5.htm She read some 700 books for KH! And compiled "145 interlocking European family trees, laid out in miniscule writing on a piece of wallpaper 20 feet long." Now, that's research! Anyway, it's reassuring that the historical background is as good as she could make it, plus it's a ripping (hacking, stabbing, disembowelling...) good yarn. Boy, Britain went seriously downhill, in the civilization dept., when the Romans left. Positively *medieval* back then . Happy reading! Pete Tillman

Dunnett's books are a difficult read for me but well worth the effort. I really loved King Hereafter. As soon as I finished Part Two I stopped and started over. Things started really clicking for me the second time. I struggled with Part Three but Part Four just about took my breath away. This book has a place in my keep-for-ever-and-ever bookcase. I love Lymond and adore Nick, but Thorfinn RULES!

I have had a difficult time starting Game of Kings because King Hereafter was my first introduction to Dunnett. Hereafter does not rely on flowery, eloquent language to make the lead players seem important. The fact that there is a Scotland today speaks for Macbeth's importance enough. I think Dunnett does represent Thorfinn as the real Macbeth and that heightens more the sense of destiny and fate within the book than it does the historical significance, which is already profound enough. As for the expansive-ness of the book... forget the impressive length of time covered in this book (721 pages of wonderfully small print); consider the miles... Finland, Norway, The Orkney Islands, Caithness, Alba, Wales, Ireland, England, Russia and a pilgrimage to Papal Rome. Dunnett has so much to work from and none of it is irrelevant or tedious background. She weaves it all together perfectly - illuminating just the right information as we need it and are best able to digest it. I believe this is her greatest attribute as a historical fiction author... using the pace and prose of fiction to bring the history into an understandable focus for the common Joe reader like myself.On the central hero... Macbeth is revealed as a King with the strength and practicality of a Viking not tempered with but instead sharpened to a deadly razor edge by his love/understanding of subtle political intrigues that years as a court hostage taught him. His passing encounters and relations with historical figures that I have previously read in depth (like Llewelyn of Wales) is a fascinating outsiders view. For that reason alone Hereafter is a must addition to any 11th century reader's library.Highly recommended for historical fiction fans. Highly recommended for political fiction fans. Moderately recommended for historic romance fans.

I have never read anything else by this author, and am not familiar enough with the period (circa 1,000 AD) to comment knowledgeably on her research, but just judging by her use of unusual Norse and Gaelic terminology, and the frequent use of translated Norse verse, it seems apparent that she is intimately familiar with her subject.The book reads very well, and the author is highly skilled in creating metaphorical phrases and lyrical descriptions. The book is an absolute pleasure to read, despite many passages that are incompletely translated, and the surfeit of odd names that defy pronunciation. In context, everything becomes intelligible, and the gist of the intended meaning is plain.A word about the plot: there doesn't seem to be any. The story simply unfolds, like a saga of the protagonist, Thorfinn, his wife, Groa, and their supporters and antagonists. Thorfinn's "Christian" name is Macbeth, in the story.This is a hefty book for which I am grateful (0ver 720 pages, including, at the end, genealogical charts of the royalty of Scotland, Normandy, Norway and England) and I have not yet finished it. But, I'm hooked. I'm savoring every word. I am really interested in what transpires next. When it ends, I will be sorry that there is no more to read.So far, I have seen a reference to William the Bastard, of Normandy, introduced by a reference to him at the age of 8 years, in 1,033 AD. Of course, history tells us that he conquered England at the Battle of Hastings in the year 1,066 AD, whereupon his appellation happily (and understandably) changed from "Bastard" to "Conqueror."I have the feeling that this very interesting book, which I am reading with great delight, is the source of much carefully researched history, although it is presented as fiction. And, as one reviewer has claimed, Macbeth and Thorfinn may or may not have been the same person in fact, historically. Frankly, I don't care. It is a very entertaining book, and I'm happy to read it.Joseph Pierre